Omar recovering from 19-hour shoulder surgery. We’re wishing him a speedy and healthy recovery | March 13
A number of thoughtful messages of support for Omar and thanks to the Edney family have been sent to our email address.If you would like to send a message, the address is [email protected]. Or you can mail a card to:
Free Omar Khadr Now Committee,
P.O. Box 57112,
RPO E. Hastings St.
Vancouver, V5K1Z0 B.C.
All messages and cards will be forwarded and will be much appreciated.
Read article about the surgery: in Metro News
Congratulations to the makers of ‘Guantanamo’s Child’! | March 13
At the the Canadian Screen Awards “Guantanamo’s Child-Omar Khadr” was awarded Best Social/Political Documentary. In his acceptance speech, Director Peter Raymont acknowledged that after a decade of demonization by our government, Omar finally had a chance to tell his story. Watch the remarkable film here and then write your MP, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, and the Prime Minister and ask why Canada has not settled a 2004 civil suit to remedy Omar for our shocking betrayal of his fundamental rights and complicity in his torture!
Watch video: Guantanamo’s Child - Omar Khadr (WITNESS 47:30 | Unprecedented access and an exclusive interview with Omar Khadr during his first days of freedom).
Trudeau following Harper’s lead in denying justice to illegally imprisoned Muslim men | March 7
Canadians have an obligation to uphold our Charter rights and freedoms, especially when our own government is responsible for grievous violations! Omar Khadr has been shockingly denied fundamental rights by both Liberal and Conservative governments and as long as his 2004 civil suit remains unsettled, a shameful injustice continues. We have an obligation to hold the government accountable. Demand remedy for Omar and the long list of Canadian Muslim men whose lives have been wrecked by their own government.
Read article by Kathleen Copps: Trudeau following Harper’s lead in denying justice to illegally imprisoned Muslim men
Omar Khadr: cela a trop duré [it has been too long]
The Quebec media has given very positive attention to Omar and Dennis Edney’s long legal battle for justice. Here is an example- great editorial published in a major francophone newspaper, Le Devoir-and amazingly supportive comments.
Manon Cornellier says that Omar’s case is marked, from its beginnings, with the stain of arbitrary power and injustice, as well as the denial of Canada’s international obligations. The Liberals at first and then the Conservatives carry the burden. The Liberals eventually recognized their wrongs, but now that they are back to power, they have the duty to end this ordeal.
Read editorial: Omar Khadr: cela a trop duré
Please write the Justice Minister, Prime Minister and your MP to demand that Ottawa fulfill Canada’s obligation to award justice to Omar-a formal apology and settlement of his 2004 civil suit! Letter template below.
Template Letter
Dear Minister Wilson-Raybould:
For 14 years, Canada allowed grave violations of Omar Khadr’s fundamental rights. We not only abandoned him as a child but allowed him to suffer a decade of torture and abuse in Guantanamo before his long-delayed repatriation.
The U.S. Supreme Court (2006) ruled that the U.S. Pentagon military commissions which “charged” and “sentenced” Omar were unconstitutional;
The Federal Court ruled (2005) that Canadian agencies (including CSIS) had violated Omar’s Charter rights by turning information obtained by torture over to his U.S. captors to be used against him in his “trial”
The Supreme Court of Canada (2008) ruled that the conduct of Canadian interrogators violated Omar’s fundamental human rights, the Canadian Charter of Rights and principles of fundamental justice.
Despite these rulings, since Omar’s release on bail from a Canadian prison almost 3 years ago, we have continued to abandoned him and deny him justice.
We call on you Minister Wilson-Raybould to offer a long-overdue apology to Omar and finally award him compensation for Canada’s shocking dereliction of responsibility.
Contact the Minister:
The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
Email: [email protected]
If you are in Vancouver, you can drop in to her office for a visit!
Suite # 104
1245 West Broadway
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6H 1G7
